Defending and Challenging Interpretations of the Past: The Role of Argument in School History

Abstract

The interpretation of experience accompanied by an explicit defense of, or challenge to, the particular position/s taken up is a social activity that occurs across a range of contexts. Within the context of schooling a range of generic forms and language resources have evolved to realise such activity. This article focuses on the types of text and the range of language resources that are available within school history and which serve to construct and defend —or counter— interpretations of the past. Using the tools of systemic functional linguistics, the article examines three “genres” or types of text —the argument, discussion and challenge.